The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-07-24
NnHGEALED COMFORT.
s4Ow THE HOT SPELL AFFECTED
THE SALE OF ICE.

The Ice Companies Pushed to Their
Utmost-Men and Horses Suffer nom
the Torrid Rays of Old SoL-Gossipy
Notes on Cold Subject.
''No. sir, this is not the ice mems para
disc, although the average citizen may
think So" remarked Mr.. j. F. Cavanaugh,
of the Knickerbocker Ice Company, in re-
Spouse to a query regarding the increased
demand for ice during the hot spell. Mr..
Cavanaugh further explained:
"You see, a long hot spell like this is far
different from day or twos high tempera-
ture. Such a long stretch of hot and sultry
weather palalyEes us, so to speak, and not
only entails extra expenses, but places
large amount of extra work on the men and
animals. The men have their hands full in
ordinary weather, and when they are over
taxed while almost unfit for work, it does
not take long to wear them out. The men
90 out at 4 o'clock in the morning and
seldom during this hot spell get
home earlier than 8 to IL o'clock p. m.
These long hours with their arduous work
soon produce this result, and in short time
the men are completely knocked out 1t is
the same way with the stock, In such sea-
son.
ACCLIMATED MULES.
We lost one fine mule the other day,
worth $3.50, it being acclimated, which, by
the way, is Of great Importance in estab-
fishing mules value In this climate. Our
stock IS all run down, and is in bad shape,
the direct result of the hard pulling IN the
deep sand of many of the streets
under the hot sun. At night
the mules all have to be cared for very care
fully, rubbed down, dried, fed and watered
carefully, and here is where the stablemen
suffer long hours too, as they are the last to
leave, and must be the first at the stable III
the morning to see that all the animals are
IN good shape to go out on the routes.
Besides the expense Of purchasing extra
stock, we are worrying all the while for
fear that some Of the animals will break
down. and with all these troubles to annoy
us you can readily see that the ice men do
not 'enthuse' much over the advent OF
long period of extremely hot weather. OF
course, we sell more ice, but the consequent
increase of expenses, the worry and trouble,
and above all the general breakdown
of the force, fully covers the increased
profits"
"About what was the increase, in amount
of Toe sold, say during the extremes, be
tween the 10th and the 20th?' was asked.
WEATHER THE ICE MEN LIKE.
"Well, not so much as you would imagine.
People would not leave their residences to
any extent during the hot days, and of
course the soda fountains, saloons, etc,
were less patronized. But, here are the
figures for a comparison Ordinarily
wagon takes out an average of 5,0OOpounds.
During the hot spell the average was $500
pounds. On Saturday, 10th inst, it car
ried $3.50; Sunday, the 17th $3.50, and Mon
day, the 18th, 1000 pounds. However, on
Sunday, the 10th, it had $3.50 pounds, so
fhara &c ~ in
crease as you would imagine
"How about disseminating one delivery 7"
Eve have decided to do that. 1t is i'm
possible to keep up the present deliveries in
this weather. Beginning with Monday the
wagons will go out at 4 o'clock in the morn
ing, making last delivery at about p. m.
This will give the men and the stock chance
to rest and recuperate, and / know they need
it. Both companies heve agreed on this.
This system is the same as that used in Phil
adelphia, New York and other cities North
Mr.. Cavanaugh said ice men prefer, de-
cidedly, moderate weather, so to 90, than
continued heat with the Thermometer up to
95' and 1907.
FINNICKY HOUSEWIVES.
Here Mr.. L. p Hart one of the firm and
the general manager, was sought out and
questioned
"Of course" he said, 1--WE sold more ice by
large per cent. during the hot spell, but
doubt if we made much extra profit from it.
You see in ordinary weather the horses have
all they want TO pull. When you add to
this a Thermometer of 10 or SO in the sun
it breaks down both men and ami
mails. 1t is hard business, there
is 50 much heavy lifting to be done. Then
again the petty details worry one almost to
distraction. The ice has all to be brushed
off carefully, and if the least bit of saw
dust adheres to it the men will hear from
the thrifty housewife on the subject in EN-
phatic language. Then they win be asked
60 carry it down to the basement or UP to
the garrett no difference how many flights
of stairs. Why, here the other day we were
asked to come to a house off the route twice
a day, leaving 214 pounds each time for a
five-pound ticket. That is only one of the
hundred or more VeXations we encounter.
We lost no horses in this hot term, but sew
eral dropped in the streets and required lots
of working over before they recovered. We
made the experiment of using horses in the
place of mules and like them better. If
treated right they are superior
THE DAILY CONSUMPTION.
"What difference did you peyssive in the
sales made during the ten days of hot
weather.
1.-The first five DAYS of July one of
the wagons averaged about 1900 pounds
daily. The last five days this wagon has
averaged over 600. Quite an increase,
but it is done at the expense of our men and
the horses. A great loss is caused also by
the waste, which increases to heavy proper
tons these hot days, because the trips are
80 prolonged"
Fully forty-five TO fifty tons of ice SAY
$4,000 pounds are used daily in Savannah
Last year it averaged less 1t is used in
nearly every household in the city It is
indispensable nowadays and has passed be-
yond the name of luxury. 1t certainly is
one of the important essentials of life in
this cline, and its absence would bo seri-
ously felt The companies are celebrating
In regard to stopping the Sunday delivery,
but it is thought that they win hardly do
that.